Search Legislation

Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes over time for: Section 129

 Help about opening options

Alternative versions:

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, Section 129. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Power of larger unincorporated charities to spend capital given for particular purposeN.I.

This section has no associated Explanatory Notes

129—(1) This section applies to any available endowment fund of a charity which is not a company or other body corporate if—

(a)the capital of the fund consists entirely of property given—

(i)by a particular individual,

(ii)by a particular institution (by way of grant or otherwise), or

(iii)by two or more individuals or institutions in pursuit of a common purpose, and

(b)the financial condition in subsection (2) is met.

(2) The financial condition in this subsection is met if—

(a)the relevant charity's gross income in its last financial year exceeded £1,000, and

(b)the market value of the endowment fund exceeds £10,000.

(3) Where the condition in subsection (4) is met in relation to the charity, the charity trustees may resolve for the purposes of this section that the fund, or a portion of it, ought to be freed from the restrictions with respect to expenditure of capital that apply to it.

(4) The condition in this subsection is that the charity trustees are satisfied that the purposes set out in the trust to which the fund is subject could be carried out more effectively if the capital of the fund, or the relevant portion of the capital, could be expended as well as income accruing to it, rather than just such income.

(5) The charity trustees—

(a)must send a copy of any resolution under subsection (3) to the Commission, together with a statement of their reasons for passing it, and

(b)may not implement the resolution except in accordance with the following provisions of this section.

(6) Having received the copy of the resolution the Commission may—

(a)direct the charity trustees to give public notice of the resolution in such manner as is specified in the direction, and

(b)if it gives such a direction, must take into account any representations made to it by persons appearing to it to be interested in the charity, where those representations are made to it within the period of 28 days beginning with the date when public notice of the resolution is given by the charity trustees.

(7) The Commission may also direct the charity trustees to provide the Commission with additional information or explanations relating to—

(a)the circumstances in and by reference to which they have decided to act under this section, or

(b)their compliance with any obligation imposed on them by or under this section in connection with the resolution.

(8) When considering whether to concur with the resolution the Commission must take into account—

(a)any evidence available to it as to the wishes of the donor or donors mentioned in subsection (1)(a), and

(b)any changes in the circumstances relating to the charity since the making of the gift or gifts (including, in particular, its financial position, the needs of its beneficiaries, and the social, economic and legal environment in which it operates).

(9) The Commission must not concur with the resolution unless it is satisfied—

(a)that its implementation would accord with the spirit of the gift or gifts mentioned in subsection (1)(a) (even though it would be inconsistent with the restrictions mentioned in subsection (3)), and

(b)that the charity trustees have complied with the obligations imposed on them by or under this section in connection with the resolution.

(10) Before the end of the period of 3 months beginning with the relevant date, the Commission must notify the charity trustees in writing either—

(a)that the Commission concurs with the resolution, or

(b)that it does not concur with it.

(11) In subsection (10) “the relevant date” means—

(a)in a case where the Commission directs the charity trustees under subsection (6) to give public notice of the resolution, the date when that notice is given, and

(b)in any other case, the date on which the Commission receives the copy of the resolution in accordance with subsection (5).

(12) Where—

(a)the charity trustees are notified by the Commission that it concurs with the resolution, or

(b)the period of 3 months mentioned in subsection (10) has elapsed without the Commission notifying them that it does not concur with the resolution,

the fund or portion may, by virtue of this section, be expended in carrying out the purposes set out in the trusts to which the fund is subject without regard to the restrictions mentioned in subsection (3).

(13) The Department may by order amend subsection (2) by substituting a different sum for any sum specified there.

(14) In this section—

(a)available endowment fund” has the same meaning as in section 128,

(b)market value”, in relation to an endowment fund, means—

(i)the market value of the fund as recorded in the accounts for the last financial year of the relevant charity, or

(ii)if no such value was so recorded, the current market value of the fund as determined on a valuation carried out for the purpose, and

(c)the reference in subsection (1) to the giving of property by an individual includes giving it under a will.

Commencement Information

I1S. 129 in operation at 24.6.2013 by S.R. 2013/145, art. 2, Sch.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

Explanatory Notes

Text created by the Northern Ireland Assembly department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes accompany all Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources